One Sweet Day
by Chelsea Oz
Summary: Maudie recounts the bittersweet memory of Jem visiting her the day before his death. One shot. This was originally "Cake", but new and improved.


Alabama summers never grow old, but I sure as hell have. How could I not notice? My long, lady fingers have grown knobby with wrinkles folded in. They ache when I do the things I have always enjoyed. The look and feel of my hands can't compare to the reflection of my face from the kitchen window. My once youthful blonde hair has faded into a granny gray, my glasses look awkward on my forever thinning face and whatever meat I got left on my cheekbones is etched in even more wrinkles.

I notice old Calpurnia across the street. My Lord, how that woman is even still alive is a mystery to me. I don't even know how old she is; I don't think she even knows. There she is, though. She looks sad and tired. I'm sure she has every right to feel how she looks. I can never imagine what life must have been like for her. I know the pain of being a childless woman, but to be a woman raising children that aren't yours…

I nearly spill the cake batter I was pouring when I hear a knock on the door. These damn old hands! I grab a hand towel as I rush to answer the consistent knock.

"I'm coming!" I shout as wipe my hands. "I'm coming! Hold your…"

I couldn't even get the word "horses" out as I opened the door to find Jem Finch standing at my doorstep. What a handsome young man he has become. I can't help but get flashbacks of the cute little boy I once knew.

"Good afternoon, Miss Maudie," he greeted.

"Good afternoon, Jem. Are you all right?"

"Yes, ma'am," he answered with a laugh. "Why do you always think something is wrong when I come over?"

"You and your sister always came to me when you had problems."

"That's very true, but that's not why I'm here."

"Oh?"

"I got a hankering for some cake."

I rolled back my head and laughed. That boy always knew when I had leftover cake. Some things never do change. I hugged Jem and he held me tighter. He probably is wondering if I'm all right now.

"Can I come in now?"

"Of course, my dear."

It was always a treat to have this nice young man in my home. I quickly finished up my new cake batter, put it in the oven, poured Jem a glass of milk and just brought the whole rest of the cake stand over to him.

"Eat whatever is left, my boy," I told him as I gave him a fork.

"Good thing there is only a couple of pieces of this lane cake left. I do need to go back to work at one."

"Could you eat a whole cake by two?"

"Still sassin' me over my teenage appetite?" He asked with a smile as he bit into his cake. I wonder if he was smiling because it was good or if it was because he thought I was funny.

"Well," I replied, smiling back at him as I sat down. "I wouldn't call it sassing."

"I don't care," he said with a gulp of milk. "I'm not offended. You and I both know the answer is yes."

"That's my boy," I giggled as I gently slapped his arm.

We went quiet for a minute as I stared at him. There was something not quite right. He looked tired, but not in the physical sense. It was almost like it was something in his soul.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"Yeah, honey, are you?"

"I'm just tired is all," he said as he shrugged his shoulders. "I've been thinking about life. I don't know why but everything is just becoming more apparent and real, I guess."

"You want to talk about it?"

"Nothing to talk about," he shrugged again. "I'll get over it. Probably just a spell."

"You can talk to me anytime, honey."

"I know," he said as he took his last bite of cake. He guzzled the rest of his milk and wiped his mouth with a cloth napkin.

"Are you all set?"

"Yes, ma'am," he said as he gave my cheek a kiss.

"You sweet boy," I said as I kissed his cheek back. "Let me show you to the door."

I took him by the arm and lead the way. He patted my hand when we parted.

"I love you, Jem Finch," I said as I pinched his cheek.

"I love you, too," he replied.

He walked off into the daylight. Sweet, sweet Jeremy Atticus Finch. The fact that his last words to me were, "I love you, too", will be something I will hold dear to my heart.


End file.
